Too many choices? For this season, consider giving the gift of an upgrade
WHAT’S a better gift than the future? These are the innovative gadgets and services we’ve tried and loved over the past year. • Oculus: Go Virtual Reality • Headset
The Oculus Go is the first virtual reality gadget you might actually gift. It has no cables and requires no additional hardware. And it’s good for more than just games. It’s a selfcontained portal to 360- degree experiences, from concerts to meditation experiences. Curl up and watch TV virtually with a faraway friend. Or on a long flight, you can use one as your private movie theatre. • Sony: Aibo
Sure, nobody needs a robot dog. But you’ll want one after meeting Aibo, the rebirth of Sony’s iconic robot companion from 1999. Aibo’s new litter comes with remarkably lifelike mechanical movement, its own cellular connection and artificial intelligence that learns faces and grows with you. Also: You’ll never have to take it for a walk - though it can still simulate taking a tinkle. • iRobot: Roomba i7
The next- generation robot vacuum cleaner from iRobot has gained remarkable skills. Like a self- driving car, it creates its own map of your house to clean more efficiently - and so it can take commands to vacuum just one particular room. Even better: The i7 has a docking station that empties its own dustbin. • Surface Go With Type Cover
Want the full capabilities of a PC in a package you can stick in a purse or knapsack? The Surface Go is a 10-inch tablet that weighs 1.15 pounds but comes with a keyboard cover and stand that transform it into a Windows 10 laptop. • Apple: Watch Series 4
If you’ve been on the fence about a smartwatch, this one is finally worth considering. The Series 4 has a larger screen, faster processor and comes with its own independent cellular connection to take calls and receive messages while you’re away from your iPhone.
This model also acts more like a medical device, with abilities to measure your heart and call for help after a hard fall. • Moment: Wide Lens for • Smartphones
Help your favourite Instagrammers take their photo game to the next level with this detachable lens for the iPhone and Samsung and Google Pixel phones.
This wide lens provides the most dramatic new view, but there are also telephoto, macro and fisheye lenses available. Cases that make it easy to twist on and off the lenses sold separately. • Apple: AirPods
Sure, these totally wireless ear buds looked goofy when they first came out. But now they’re everywhere and with good reason: The AirPods work and sound great. An included case keeps them charged and from getting lost. The biggest downside is Apple’s one- sizefitsall design, so you should try on a pair and give your head a good shake before buying. — Washington Post.